Ballast cleaner



M. J` SPENO BALLAST CLEANER June 20,V 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dc.1o, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Deo. l0, 1964 INVENTOR wem/J SP5/v0United States Patent C 3,326,298 BALLAST CLEANER Martin J. Spano,Syracuse, N.Y., assignor to Frank Speno Railroad Ballast Cleaning Co.,Ithaca, N.Y., a corpo ration of New York Filed Dec. 10, 1964, Ser. No.417,440 16 Claims. (Cl. 171-16) This invention relates to improvementsin apparatus for removing and cleaning railway ballast, and moreparticularly, an apparatus for carrying out such operation that can bemoved along the track during said operation.

As is well known, in order to properly maintain the roadbed of arailroad track, it is necessary that the ballast be periodically cleanedto remove dirt, mud and other foreign matter therefrom, since when suchmatter is intermixed with the ballast sufficiently to clog theinterstices between ballast particles to a substantial degree, itinterfetes with proper drainage and also detracts from the firmness orsolidity of the roadbed. Improper drainage and retention of dirt in theballast both contribute to premature deterioration of the woodencrossties of the track.

It has been found that adequate drainage can be maintained by cleaningthe ballast on the shoulders of the roadbed, and in the outer cribspaces between the outer ends of the ties, even though the medialportions of the crib ballast are not cleaned, or are cleaned atrelatively greater intervals.

The invention includes an improved apparatus for accomplishing ballastcleaning of this type by the use of jet .blast nozzles directing fluidjets at high velocities against the ballast both to remove and to cleanthe ballast so removed.

Though it has been known in the prior art to use such blast jets forremoval of ballast, the jets have emanated from nozzles located abovethe level of the ties and between the rails, thereby requiring that thefluid jets be directed downwardly against the upper surface of theballast and outwardly for the purpose of displacing the ballastlaterally outwardly.

Such prior arrangement necessarily requires spacing of the jet nozzlesabove the level of the roadbed in order that they might clear the ties,with the result that the uid blast jet issuing therefrom will have beenpartially dissipated even before reaching the ballast. Such dissipationis contributed to by the fact that the jet blasts will be permitted todisperse laterally above the crossties. Moreover, the jet streams aredirected in acute angular relationship to the normally highly packed orcompacted upper surface of the roadbed, with resulting deection of thejet blast and utilization of only a comparatively small portion of itsenergy for ballast removal. Of perhaps even greater importance is thefact that the depth to which the jet or jets of fluid will penetrate andremove the ballast under such conditions depends upon a number ofvariables, such as the distance of the jet nozzles from the ballastsurface, the degree of compaction, the type and condition of the ballastand the dirt or impurities therein, the forward speed of the car orcarriage by which the nozzles are moved along the track.

With the foregoing considerations in mind, the present invention has asits primary objects a more eicient utilization of the blast jet energyfor removal of ballast, a more precise control of the depth to which theballast is removed, a dual utilization of the jet blasts for bothremoval and cleaning of the ballast, utilization of part of the residualenergy of the blast jets for replacing cleaned ballast on the roadbed,the performance of pneumatic removal, cleaning and replacement ofballast as a single operation, and in general an improved apparatus forremoving and cleaning ballast from the outer crib portions of a railroadtrack.

With these objects in view, the present invention contemplatesdispositions Of the blast jet nozzle or nozzles for movement in a trenchbelow the level of the roadbed and upper surfaces of the ties andlaterally outwardly from the ends of the ties, with the nozzles arrangedto direct the jet blasts or ystreams laterally inwardly and upwardlytoward the center of the track. This arrangement and the mode ofprocedure facilitates determination of the maximum depth to which thematerial is removed, which depth will coincide with the level from whichthe lowermost jet or jets emanate. The invention further contemplatesthe successive removal of layers yor strata of ballast to successivelygreater depth by nozzles or groups thereof disposed at different levels.

The scouring or eroding action of the jet blasts on the ballast arerelied upon for removing the dirt therefrom and entraining it, while afluid current separation of the heavy ballast particles from therelatively lighter dirt particles is achieved through utilization of thefluid current created by the jets for removal of the dirt. In additionto uid current separation, there may also be employed a mechanicalbarrier or screen interposed in the path of the ballast particles toarrest the velocity initially imparted thereto by the jets so that saidparticles may fall by gravity back downwardly through the fluid stream.Preferably the falling ballast is confined between baffles which directit back into the same lateral larea of the roadbed from which it wasoriginally displaced.

The foregoing, as well as other incidental objects and advantages, andthe practicing of a new process of the present invention, are allattainable through use of the apparatus illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIGURE l is a side elevation of various parts broken away, of theapparatus of the invention, same being illustrated as supported on arailway flat car for movement along a -conventional railroad track.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section along the line 2-2 of FIGURE l throughthe ballast removing and cleaning mechanism of the invention.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary plan view of said apparatus, this view beingtaken substantially on the line 3 3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical section substantially on the line 4-4of FIGURE 2.

Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings, and firstconsidering FIGURES 1 and 2, the apparatus of the invention is adaptedfor transportation along and parallel to a railroad track by a suitableambultory support such as conventional at car C, the chassis of which isexemplified by a main, central, longitudinal sill S supported bylconventional flanged wheels W for movement along the parallel rails Rof the track. As usual, the rails R are supported on wooden crossties rT which are at least partially embedded in the ballast B of the roadbed.The apparatus of the invention as hereinafter described is supportedprimarily from the horizontal bed or platform P which, in turn, issecured on the chassis or sill S of the car.

As is well known, it is necessary that the ballast be periodicallycleaned to remove dirt in the form of mud, earth, leaves, and otherforeign matter therefrom, inasmuch as such foreign matter clogs theinterstices between the ballast particles to interfere with properdrainage such as is necessary to maintain the solidity of the roadbedand to prevent premature deterioration of the wooden crossties.

It has been found that adequate drainage can be maintained by cleaningthe ballast on the shoulders of the roadbed just outwardly of the tieends and also in the outer crib spaces between the outer ends of theties. The method and apparatus of the present invention accomplish thisin improved manner, by supporting laterally inwardly directed jetnozzles Ifor movement through trenches formed just laterally outwardlyof the ends of the ties, and directed against the inner vertical wallsof such trenches.

For forming such trenches in the roadbed shoulders on opposite sides ofthe track, there may be mounted on each side of the car C ak scoop Scomprising a rigid scoop frame pivotally connected at 11 to a suitableoutrigger support or beam 12 which is laterally adjustable through aguide sleeve 13 suitable affixed to the car platform or bed P.

For adjusting the cutting depth of the scoop, there is provided asuitable uid actuated unit including a cylinder 14 pivotally supportedat 15 from the upper end of a standard 16 which in turn is carried on alaterally adjustable Outrigger or beam 12a guided for lateral adjustmentthrough a sleeve 13a aixed to the horizontal car platform P.

This piston rod 17 of the unit is pivotally connected at 18 to theforward end portion of the scoop frame 10.

Carried at such forward end portion of the scoop is a forwardlyprojecting scoop or plow blade 20 extending horizontally between therelatively laterally spaced vertical forward edges 21 of the scoop frame10, such edges 21 being adapted to cut the side vertical walls of thetrench whereas the horizontal blade 20 is adapted to form the bottom ofthe trench all in accordance with usual practice.

As the ballast is removed by the combined actions of blade 20 and edges21, it is received within the scoop and moved onto the upper run of arearwardly and upwardly moving endless conveyor 22 which is supported'and guided around relatively spaced front and rear rolls 23 and24respectively. It will be understood that the drive may be imparted tothe conveyor 22 through either of its rolls 23 or 24 by any conventionalmeans.

The scoop conveyor 22 in turn delivers the ballast rearwardly anddischarges it onto a further conveyor generally designated 25 havingA arearwardly and upwardly moving operative run 26. Preferably the conveyorrun 26 carries the dirty ballast to a suitable processing and cleaningapparatus of conventional type and the cleaned ballast is subsequentlyredistributed in the trench thus formed in order to fill same, or ifdesired may be delivered to other locations along the track or into atrailing hopper car.

While it is desirable from a practical standpoint that the scoop ortrench-forming mechanism above described be carried by the sameambulatory support or car which transports the mechanism of theinvention, this is by no means essential since it will be realized thatthe trench,

in which the apparatus of the invention operates may be formed by otherand separate mechanism or even by hand labor.

It will suffice simply that the trench be formed laterally outwardlyjust beyond the ends of the ties T, and to a depth preferably somewhatbelow the bottoms of the ties in order to allow ample room for operationof the invention. Preferably the trench extends sufficiently closely tothe ends of the ties as to substantially remove the ballast from them sothat the outwardly directed relatively vertical wall of the trench thusformed is dened alternately by the wholly or partiallyV exposed tie endsand the intervening sections of the outer crib ballast between adjoiningtie ends.

The apparatus of the invention broadly comprises at least one andpreferably a plurality of jet blast nozzles 30 which are carried by thecar C, in the manner later described, and supplied with fluid, such aswater or air or a mixture of the two in the form of steam, the selectedfluid being in all cases at exceedingly high pressures to createlaterally inwardly and upwardly directed blasts or jets of fluid. Thejet nozzles 30 are normally supported for movement along the trench atlevels below the upper surface of the ballast, and thus are directedagainst the outwardly directed trench wall as above described, wherebyto blow the dirty ballast inwardly and upwardly from between the outerend portions of adjoining ties and to a depth which may readily bedetermined by the level of the lowermost jet or jet nozzles.

The upwardly emerging and inwardly directed stream of uid and dirtyballast is intercepted by a combined deilector and separator structure,generally designated 32 in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4. The thus removedparticles of ballast, having been cleaned by the action thereon of thejet blasts, are returned to the outer ends of the cribs and adjacent endportions of the ties, while the fluid with its entrained dirt particlesis discharged at a separate location all as hereinafter more fullydescribed.

It is desirable to support the blast nozzle or nozzles 30 from the flatcar for both lateral adjustment and vertical adjustment, so that theymay be positioned to clear the crossties at the desired lateral distanceand also may be selectively positioned for operation at the desireddepth. Similar means is preferably employed for so supporting thenozzles 30 on either side of the car. Such means is exemplied by therigid main frame 33 which, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, has rigidlyaixed laterally projecting parallel support legs 34 telescopicallyreceived in guide sleeves 35 respectively affixed to the car bed P bymeans of the standards 36 and medial support 37.

Each main frame 33 is thus supported for lateral adjustment, whichadjustment is affected in this embodiment by means of a fluid actuateddouble acting cylinder and piston unit having its cylinder 38 connectedat 39 to the medial support 37 and its piston rod 40 connected at 4-1 toframe 33.

The main frame 33 further comprises vertical tubular sleeves or guides`42 rigidly interconnecting its cross pieces 43 and 44. These guidestelescopically receive tubular supports 45-45 respectively constitutingrigid portions of a vertically adjustable sub-frame which furtherincludes a longitudinaly horizontal member 46 interconnecting the lowerends of said supports 45-45. Vertical adjustment of this sub-frame isproduced by double acting cylinder and piston unit, the cylinder 47 ofwhich is `affixed to the cross members 43 and 44 of the main frame 33,and the piston rod 48 of which is connected at 49 to the subframe by wayof a hood or deflector S0 secured to the horizontal sub-frame memberv46.

A vertical supporting plate 51 depends from and is carried by the member46 parallel to the center line of the track and to the movement of theapparatus therealong. It will be seen in FIGURE 2 that each suchsupporting plate 51 is normally positioned in laterally outwardly spacedrelation from the ends of the ties, and that the nozzle or nozzles 30are carried on the inner face of the plate, preferably in severalseparate groups or gangs 36a, 30h and 36C, disposed at successivelylower levels from front to rear with Vrespect to the movement of theplate 51 along the trench, to remove successively lower layers ofballast as they move forwardly with the plate.

Preferably the plate 51 is supported by the sub-frame 45-46 so that itmay yield rearwardly in the event it encounters an immovable obstaclesuch as the projecting end of a tie. For this purpose the plate 51 issuspended from a slide 52 preferably integrally attached thereto alongits upper horizontal edge. As is shown in FIGURE 2, this slide 52 isguided for longitudinal horizontal movement in a guide channel formedwithin the sub-frame member 46 and the plate 51 depends downwardly fromits slide 52 through a downwardly directing rectilinear slot S3 inmember 46.

Each group or gang of nozzles 30a, 30h and 30C is defined in the presentembodiment by a row of suitably arranged orifices opening from theinterior of a tubular manifold 54 carried by the plate 51 on its inner`face and is supplied with fluid such as water, air or steam atexceedingly high pressures, through branch conduits 55a, 55h and 55Crespectively communicating with a common conduit section 56 which inturn communicates with one of the hollow tubular conduits 45 which isclosed at its ends and which receives lluid from a suitable fluidpressure source not illustrated.

A shear pin 57 as shown in FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 4 extends transverselythrough the frame member 46 and slide 52 to secure the plate 51 againstrearward longitudinal displacement under usual operating conditions, butwill of course -be sheared to permit rearward displacement of the plate51 and its associated jet blast nozzles, in the event the plateencounters an obstacle during its forward movement. A breakaway,high-pressure, selfcleaning coupling 58 of conventional structure ispreferably interposed in the fluid conduit 56 to permit such breakingaway without damage to the fluid supply lines or conduits.

As has been earlier mentioned, the high velocity blast jets emanatingfrom the nozzles 30 are directed laterally inwardly and preferablysomewhat upwardly toward the ends of the ties and the intervening cribends,

To permit adjustment of the vertical inclination of the respectivenozzles 30 and the fluid jets issuing therefrom, each of the jetmanifolds 54a, Sb and 54C is of cylindrical exterior formation, with itscylindrical axis horizontal and parallel to the track, and is supportedfor rotary adjustment about its axis in collars 60 aflixed to the plate51.

The hood 50 preferably comprises a deflector plate which extendslaterally across and in spaced relation above the supporting member 46and the nozzle supporting plate 51. The deector plate or deector 50 iscurbed arcuately in a direction transversely to the track and has itsconcave side disposed downwardly. The hood 50 is here utilized as themeans for supporting a depending baffle or deilector 61 laterallyinwardly of and above the nozzles 30, for movement just above thecrossties T, and in position to intercept the inwardly and upwardlyflowing fluid streams with their entrained material, as they emergeinwardly and upwardly from between adjoining ties T. The baflie ordeflector 61 thus functions to arrest the inward movement of the ballastparticles which are carried upwardly with the liuid blast jets issuingfrom the nozzles 30, while at the same time deflecting the now slowermoving uid streams and their entrained dirt upwardly into the hood 50.

In order that the deflector plate v61 might move along the roadbed 'withits lower edge in engagement or near engagement with the upper faces ofthe ties, and yield upwardly to override raised tie ends or other upwardprotrusions, the plate 61 is hinged along its upper edge at 62 to thelaterally inner edge of the hood 50, with its laterally outwardly curvedand offset lower edge thus out of the vertical alignment with the hingeaxis, so that its engagement with upwardly projecting ties or obstaclesmay cause it to swing outwardly and upwardly toward the positions shownin broken lines in FIGURE 2.

Preferably the ends of the hood are closed by the end members 63-63, aswill be apparent from FIGURE 4. While the action of gravity alone may berelied upon under some conditions to separate the ballast from theupwardly flowing uid current with its entrained dirt, it is desirable toprovide a strong screen 64 across the downwardly opening mouth of thehood to intercept ballast particles and cause them to drop back into thetrench after being cleaned by the fluid blast. The mesh of the screen 64is of such a size as to bar the passage therethrough of the relativelylarge particles of ballast while freely permitting passage of thesmaller and lighter particles of dirt and foreign matter.

The combined deflecting actions of the deector plate or baffle 61 andthe curved under surface of the hood 50 may be relied upon for directingthe fluid stream and dirt upwardly and outwardly over the top of thesupporting plate 51 for discharge of the dirt on the laterally outerside of the trench, as indicated on the righthand side `of FIGURE 2,particularly if the nozzles 30 are operating at a suiciently shallowdepth as to leave the upper gang or group Sla thereof above the ballastsurface so .as to impinge directly on the deflector plate or baffle 61and be deected around the entire inner face of the interconnected baflleand hood 50 to the laterally outer edge of the hood. In this connection,it will be noted that the bale 61 and hood 50 normally define together acontinuous curved dellecting surface along which the particles of dirtwill be guided and impelled by the combined actions of the uid streamand centrifugal force.

However, where the blast nozzles 30 are all working at substantialdepth, it may be found desirable to supplement this action by anauxiliary blast of air or other fluid led into the hood 50 from asuitable source of such fluid under pressure and directed laterally orcircumferentially toward the outer edge portion thereof by means notherein illustrated. Or, if desired, the passage of fluid upward into thehood may be augmented by a suction pipe 65 connecting the hood with asuitable source of suction, such as the intake of a blower or otherequivalent and conventional means (not illustrated).

Operation In the operation of the foregoing mechanism to carry out theprocess of the present invention, the ambulatory support defined by theat car is moved along the rails R in a forward direction as indicated bythe arrow in FIGURE 1, with the scoop frame 10 lowered by suitableactuation of the fluid cylinder 14 so that the scoop 'blade and verticalcutting edges such as 21 will form a trench in the ballast to a depthpreferably somewhat below the bottoms of the ties, substantially asindicated in FIG- URE 2, it being understood that the scoop will -belaterally adjusted to make the trench with its inner laterally outwardlydirected wall substantially perpendicular and closely adjacent the endsof the ties T so as to substantially expose 4the latter, leaving therebetween intermittent generally vertical ballast walls between relativelyadjoining tie ends. The ballast removed by the scoop will be deliveredonto the infeed conveyor 25 of a suitable ballast processing or cleaningmechanism, or alternatively, for delivery to any suitable point.Normally, it will be found advantageous after cleaning the ballast thusremoved to deliver it back into the trench rearwardly of the blastnozzle assembly.

The blast nozzle assembly including the supporting plate 51 and severalnozzle manifolds 54a, 54h and 54C, which moves along the trench intrailing relation to the scoop, is adjusted for movement closelyadjacent the outer ends of the rails, with at least one and preferablyall of its blast nozzles located at levels below the surface of the cribballast, substantially as shown in FIGURE 2. These nozzles are directedlaterally inwardly and upwardly toward the center of the roadbed and inthe preferred arrangement the disposition of the nozzles is generallyvertically coextensive with the ties.

The several gangs or groups, 30a, 30h and 30e of nozzles disposed atsuccessively lower levels in the preferred embodiment remove the ballastin successively deeper layers or strata to the desired depth and by suchsuccessive action to facilitate the ballast removal. Manifestly, theexposed roughened outer walls presented by the crib ballast between theends of adjoining ties are penetrated by the inwardly directed highvelocity blast jets emanating from the nozzles. Obviously the blast jetsin loosening and carrying away the individual particles of ballast willby their strong erosive action also remove from each of the particlessmaller particles of mud, dirt and other foreign material adheringthereto.

The maximum depth to which the ballast is removed is readily determinedby the level of the lowermost group of nozzles 30's. The upwardlyinclined jets, while penetrating the ballast, are confined betweenrelatively adjoining ties to prevent their lateral dispersing and lossof velocity and upon emerging upwardly and inwardly from between theties, will carry with them both the displaced ballast and the entrainedparticles of mud, dirt and foreign material. Upon emerging to a locationabove the ties, the jets or jet streams with their entrained materialare intercepted andv deflected upwardly by the baffle plate 61 whichm-oves along with the blast nozzles just above the upper surfaces of theties and laterally inwardly of the nozzles. By virtue of their hinged-mountings 62, and the laterally outwardly offset relation of theirlower edges with respect to the hinge axes, each such deflector platewill normally be caused to swing upwardly and outwardly as shown indotted lines in FIGURE 2, by engagement with an obstacle or raised tieend in order to clear same without damage.

As the jet fluid streams wi-th their entrained material are deflectedupwardly and inwardly by the baflles 61, the relatively smaller andlighter particles of mud, dust, dirt and foreign material in generalwill move freely upwardly through the screen 64 and into the hood 50,for -movement laterally outwardly across as above the supporting member46 and supporting plate 51 to be discharged generally laterallyoutwardly and downwardly on the laterally outer side of the ditch, allas indicated in FIG- URE 2.

The relatively larger and heavier particles of ballast, however, willhave their upward movement arrested by the screen 64, whereby they willdrop back by gravity and due to their connement between the baille 61and the plate 51 which also functions as a baffle, they will be directeddownwardly into the outer crib portions between the adjoining tie endsand to some extent on the end portions of the ties themselves as well ason the laterally inner side of the trench. It should be observed thatt-he upward movement of the ballast particles as they approach the levelofthe screen 64 normally is due primarily from the inertia imparted tothem by the jet streams at the time of their dislodgement from the road-Ibed. Obviously however, as the jet streams issuing from the nozzlesexpand in cross section an-d are dispersed by engagement with the dirtyballast, during the course of upward movement of fluid toward thescreen, the velocity thereof will be slowed or -decreased considerablyso that the space beneath the screen and between the plates 51 and 61functions as a vertical fluid current separator in which the fluidcurrent while sufficient to maintain the dirt and foreign matterentrained for continued upward movement, willi-formally be insufficientto maintain the heavier ballast particles entrained or to causecontinued upward movement thereof, particularly after their upwardvelocity has been arrested by the screen 64. It will be appreciated alsothat as fresh ballast is continually removed -by the uppermost leadinggroup of nozzles 30a, the ballast previously removed and treated willnormally tend to drop back into the trench, particularly adjacent thelowermost trailing group of nozzles 30C.

In the event the nature and condition of the ballast and the depth towhich it is removed are such that the upflowing fluid streams from theballast nozzles 30 is insufficient to maintain the dirt and foreignmatter entrained during its complete passage through and discharge` fromthe hood 50, the fluid flow upwardly into the hood may be augmented byuse of the suction conduit 65 and its associated evacuating means orsource of suction (not shown). Alternatively, if desired the source ofsuction may be such as to withdraw all of the upwardly moving fluid andits entrained dirt through the suction conduit 65 for discharge at anysuitable location, making unnecessary the lateral outward and downwarddischarge of fluid and entrained matter to the laterally outer or farside of the trench as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

In this application I have shown an-d described only the preferredembodiment of my invention, simply by way of illustrating the preferredmode contemplated by me of carrying out the invention, as by lawrequired. However, I recognize that the invention is capable of otherand different embodiments, and that its several details may be modifiedin various obvious ways without departing from my inventive concept.Accordingly, the disclosure herein is to be considered as merelyillustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Apparatus for removing and cleaning crib ballast from between theouter ends of the ties of a railroad track comprising an ambulatorysupport for movement along and parallel to said track, trenching meanscarried by said ambulatory support for progressively forming a Vtrenchparallel to the track and closely adjacent to the ends of said ties toleave laterally outwardly directed walls of crib ballast betweenadjoining tie ends, a jet nozzle carried by said ambulatory supportwithin the trench at a level substantially below the lsurface of saidcrib ballast, said nozzle being directed laterally inwardly and in nearproximity to said walls, means for supplying fluid at high pressure tosaid jet nozzle to cause a high velocity laterally inwardly and upwardlydirected jet of fluid to issue from said nozzle and to remove from belowand entrain dirty ballast from between the outer ends of adjoining tiesto a depth corresponding to the level of said jet nozzle, and meanscarried by said support for intercepting the upwardly moving ballastwhereby to cause same to drop back downwardly by gravity through theupwardly flowing air stream.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said intercepting meansincludes a baille plate located inwardly of said nozzle for interceptinglaterally inwardly moving ballast and causing at least a portion of sameto drop back downwardly between said outer tie ends.

3. Apparatus for removing and cleaning ballast from the crib portionsbetween the outer ends of the ties of a railroad track comprising: anambulatory support for movement along and parallel to said track,trenching means carried by said ambulatory support for progressivelyforming a trench in the ballast parallel to the track closely adjacentthe ends of said ties to leave laterally outwardly directed walls ofballast defined between adjoining tie ends, a jet nozzle carried by thesupport within said trench in trailing relation to said trenching means,and at a level 'substantially below the upper surface of said ballast,said nozzle being directed laterally inwardly toward said walls, meansfor supplying fluid at high pressure to said jet nozzle to cause a highvelocity laterally inwardly directed jet of said fluid to issue from thenozzle, and to remove from below and entrain ballast from between theouter ends of the respective ties to a depth corresponding to the levelof said jet nozzle means for separating the ballast from said fluid andany foreign material contained in the ballast and for returning saidballast to locations between the outer ends of the ties, and means forguiding the fluid and its entrained foreign material to a locationremote from said cribs.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which said separating meanscomprises a vertical fluid current separator above said ties.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which said means for separatingthe ballast and dirt comprises relatively laterally spaced platescarried by said support for movement abreast of and on opposite lateralsides of said nozzle just above the -crossties of the track.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which said laterally spaced platesdefine between them a vertical passage for the stream of fluid and itsentrained material, to guide said fluid and foreign material upwardlywhile permitting the relatively heavier ballast to drop by gravity ontoand between the ends of adjoining ties.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 including a hood carried by saidsupport and extending from the upper edge of lsaid innermost guide plateacross and above the outermost said plate to deflect said fluid andforeign material laterally outwardly over the top of said outer guideplate.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 including a screen extending acrosssaid passage to bar the escape therethrough of ballast while permittingthe escape of said fluid and foreign matter.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 including means for augmenting the owof fluid through said hood and across said outer guide plate.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 including means for evacuating saidhood to remove the fluid and entrained dirt therefrom.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said means for augmentingthe liow of fluid comprises a blower arranged to project a current ofair laterally outwardly across `said hood.

12. Apparatus for removing and cleaning ballast from the cribs betweenthe outer ends of the ties of a railroad track comprising: an ambulatorysupport for movement along and parallel to said track, a jet nozzlecarried by the support laterally outwardly of the ends of the ties atone side of said track, and at a level substantially below the uppersurface of the crib ballast for movement along a trench extendingparallel to the track, said nozzle being directed laterally inwardlytoward the track, and means for supplying uid at high pressure to thesaid nozzle to cause a high velocity laterally inwardly directed jet ofsaid fluid to issue from the nozzle and against the laterally outwardlyfacing wall of said trench, for lateral penetration between adjoiningties to a depth corresponding to the level of said jet nozzle, saidnozzle being directed substantially horizontally whereby to cause saidjet of fluid with entrained dirty ballast engaged from below to 10emerge generally upwardly and inwardly from between the ties.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 in-cluding a plurality of saidnozzles carried by the said support and relatively offset in thedirection of forward movement of the support, said nozzles being atsuccessively lower levels from front to rear to remove successive strataof ballast.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 including a deector plate carriedby said support for movement just above the ties and at a locationlaterally inwardly of the said nozzle for interception of the upwardlyemerging fluid stream with its entrained ydirty ballast, whereby tolimit the inward movement of the ballast and to permit at least part ofsame to drop back downwardly by gravity into the trench.

1S. Apparatus as defined in claim 14 in which said deflector plate iscurved in a plane transverse to the track and in the direction of saidfluid movement, whereby to deflect said fluid and the entrained dirtupwardly and outwardly across said trench while permitting the ballastto drop back downwardly into the trench.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 15, including means supportingsaid deflector plate for movement with its lower edge in engagement withthe upper surfaces of the ties and for vertical yielding of said edge toride over inequalities inthe ties.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,775,438 12/1956 Bach et al171-16 ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner.

ANTONIO F. GUIDA, Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR REMOVING AND CLEANING CRIB BALLAST FROM BETWEEN THEOUTER ENDS OF THE TIES OF A RAILROAD TRACK COMPRISING AN AMBULATORYSUPPORT FOR MOVEMENT ALONG AND PARALLEL TO SAID TRACK, TRENCHING MEANSCARRIED BY SAID AMBULATORY SUPPORT FOR PROGRESSIVELY FORMING A TRENCHPARALLEL TO THE TRACK AND CLOSELY ADJACENT TO THE ENDS OF SAID TIES TOLEAVE LATERALLY OUTWARDLY DIRECTED WALLS OF CRIB BALLAST BETWEENADJOINING TIE ENDS, A JET NOZZLE CARRIED BY SAID AMBULATORY SUPPORTWITHIN THE TRENCH AT A LEVEL SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW THE SURFACE OF SAIDCRIB BALLAST, SAID NOZZLE BEING DIRECTED LATERALLY INWARDLY AND IN NEARPROXIMITY TO SAID WALLS, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING FLUID AT HIGH PRESSURE TOSAID JET NOZZLE TO CAUSE A HIGH VELOCITY LATERALLY INWARDLY AND UPWARDLYDIRECTED JET OF FLUID TO ISSUE FROM SAID NOZZLE AND TO REMOVE FROM BELOWAND ENTRAIN DIRTY BALLAST FROM BETWEEN THE OUTER ENDS OF ADJOINING TIESTO A DEPTH CORRESPONDING TO THE LEVEL OF SAID JET NOZZLE, AND MEANSCARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT FOR INTERCEPTING THE UPWARDLY MOVING BALLASTWHEREBY TO CAUSE SAME TO DROP BACK DOWNWARDLY BY GRAVITY THROUGH THEUPWARDLY FLOWING AIR STREAM.